Christmas Wishes
by IMAC11
Summary: When Emily is granted one wish on Christmas Eve, what will it be? And why? I think the story's better than the story, but read for yourself!


The night was cold and dark. Bone chillingly cold.. But you wouldn't be able to tell it from looking out over the city. There were lights lit up in buildings, steam coming out of chimneys. Warm smoke permiating the cold air as city factories worked through the night. And yet, if you looked really close, on one single icy bridge, you would find a figure walking. It was a slim figure, casting a shadow upon the cobblestone of the bridge.

The figure wore a light jacket and jeans, a pair of boots and nothing else. No hat or gloves, scarf or coat. Yet, oddly, the figure wasn't cold. In fact, she didn't feel anything. Emily Prentiss trudged along the bridge that never seemed to end, with her hands in her pockets. She wondered where she was. She didn't recognize this place. She didn't really know anything. She vaugley remembered her name. Emily? Emily something? She couldn't remember. She remembered her first name and a face. A man's face. It seemed to tease her.

Almost as if she knew him, but couldn't place it, like a dream. He had dark hair and dark eyes and a serious looking face, yet when she remembered him, she could always see him smiling, as if she was the only one that saw it. She liked picturing his face. It helped her feel as if she might be able to remember. To remember herself. Maybe remember him. She walked along thinking about him. It started to snow, yet she didn't feel it, the little flecks of ice that kept landing on her pale skin, giving her goosebumps. She wondered why she didn't feel it. She dismissed the thought as she finally crossed the bridge, coming up on a row of apartments.

She gazed in the windows at the families, decorating trees, smiling, laughing. Hapiness. She almost felt something, like it was bubbling up inside her, but at the last minute, a lid is put on them. She kept walking and gazed into another window. She felt another feeling, it hurt her stomach, as she watched a young couple. A man picked his girlfriend up and twirled her in the air before kissing her. Emily almost smiled. Was that why she could remember his face? Did she have that sort of thing with him? Did someone love her like that? Was her smile that wide when she was with him? She didn't know, but she hoped so.

She kept walking and closed her eyes. It was quiet. Almost eerie. The dogs quit barking. There were no car horns. It was like the world was on hold. And then he was in front of her. An old man. She waved and gave a quick 'hello' before continuing on. She stopped when she felt a hand on her shoulder. She whirled around, startled, yet she had no fear. Like it didn't exsist. She stared into his cold, icy, emotionless, blue eyes for a moment before speaking.

"Wha-" She wasn't able to finish before he gave her a curt shake of his head. He stared for a few more seconds, and then he spoke. One word.

"Remember." And then it hit her. Like a hurricane. Or a typhoon. Or anthing that could knock you off your feet.

She remembered her name- Emily Prentiss. She saw her life, since she was little. She saw a girl in a dress on a swingset, being pushed by an older boy, a woman on the phone in the background, holding up her hand to her children, trying to quiet them while she was on a call. She saw the same girl, only a little older at a recital, staring at an empty seat. An even older girl waving at a woman boarding a plane. She saw herself talking to her maid, while her mother packed for yet another trip. She saw a college, and the FBI acadamy. She saw herself on her fisrt day at the BAU. The man in her mind was there. She stood shocked as she saw herself at lunch with him. Kissing him in her apartment. Meeting his son. Falling asleep in his arms on those restless nights. And then she saw the final chase. The UnSub turning and shooting her in the stomach. She saw the vest on the seat. The one she should've been wearing. The one that would've saved her life. The last thing she saw went in a blur. She was looking up into the tear-stained face of that man. She saw him holding a little boy's hand, standing around a hospital bed. And then it was gone. She was staring into those icy eyes again.

"I don't understand." she whispered.

"Think." he said.

"Am I dead?" she asked, her voice wavering.

He gave her a solemn nod and she saw a little wisp of emotion flash through his eyes. Sorrow.

"Why me?" she asked.

"I do not know that Emily. People are taken from us, despite our wishes. Despite our future plans. You were ripped away from a home. A family. People who loved you."

"Why? Why'd you make me remember? Why cause so much pain?" she asked, tears in her eyes, threatening to spill over.

"So you would see how much it hurts to lose something like that. Emily, I know not why Death wanted you to learn this, but it is an important one. Remember it."

Emily nodded. "Why bother, I'm dead. Gone. There's nothing I can do."

He let out a low sigh. "Do you happen to know the date?"

She shook her head again, "I barely remember my own name."

"It's Christmas Eve. 11:59 p.m. to be exact." She nodded again.

"I'm sorry, but I'm missing the point." she responded.

"Would you like to make a wish?"

"Very much so." she said, something like joy filling up in her.

"Well?" he asked. "I haven't all night." he pushed on.

"I want to go back." she said, "Please."

He nodded. "A wise choice, Emily. This will not happen again, remember what I have said. Cherish every moment."

She smiled and nodded. As she opened her mouth to ask something, she felt like she was being thrown out of a plane. Like something grabbed her and threw her through the air. She closed her eyes and when she opened them, she was staring into equally dark ones. She instantly recognized him.

"Aaron?" she asked, testing the name. The man in her mind seemed like an Aaron. He smiled and let out a breath.

"Emily, thank God." he breathed, "We were so worried. I was worried. I though I lost you."

All she could do was smile, she assumed it was a stupid grin but she couldn't get it off her face. Her smile widened when she felt him lean in and kiss her. She returned it gladly, her arms wrapping around his neck. She felt an emotion bubble up inside of her. Love. She liked the feeling of it.

"I love you." she said, gazing into his eyes.

"I love you too." he said back. Then he was pulling a black box out of his pocket, opening it he looked at her again.

"Emily, I-well, I just, I almost lost you, and I can't wait. I want to spend the rest of my life with you. Will you marry me?" Her eyes lit up and she smiled again, nodding, words wouldn't come out.

"Ye-yes!" she managed to choke out.

"Good." he said, hugging her, before kissing her again. They pulled back and he whispered something to her, two words that she'd never forget. Two words that gave her her life back.

"Merry Christmas."


End file.
